Riffle



Patented Sept. 21, 1926.

onaELEs J. sonrrnnnpn, or BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

RIFELE applicati/on fue@ November i9, 1923. serial No. 675,577.

My invention relates to rifiles and one of the objects of the inventionis to provide a rilile embodying 'means for keepingthe rifile active. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide means lfor introducinginto the vspace between the rilfle bars a diffused currentfof fluid, soas to keep'the material collecting between the riflle bars in a mobilecondition, thus facilitating the settling of the V'heavier values andthe `onward passage of the lighter material.

My invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the followingdescription of the preferred form of my invention which is illustratedin the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. Itis to be understood that l do not limit myself to the showing made bythe said drawings and description. as I may adopt variations of thepreferred form within the scope of my invention as set forth in theclaims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of a sluice in which my riffle isdisposed.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken in a plane indicated by theline 2-2 of Fig ure 1.

Figure 3 is an elevation partly in vertical section of the nippleandvshield forming part of my device.

My invention comprises a frame including the outer walls 2, 3, el and 5and the transversely extending rilile bars 6, of which there may be asmany as desired. Preferably these .riffle bars are wider at the top thanat the bottom. as shown in Figure 2. The width of theI frame is such asto substantially lill the sluice 7 in which it is placed.

Underlying the rilile frame is a flat cas-V ing 8 forming a reservoir,onk the top wall 9 of which, the riille frame is adapted to lie. Thiscasing forms a reservoir for fluid, preferably water, introduced intoit, preferably at one corner, thru a pipe -11 and flexible connection orconduit 12, which at its other end, is connected thru the valve 13 intoa conduit 14C thru which fluid is sup plied from any suitable source. The valve 13 provides means for regulating the amount of fluid deliveredto the reservoir.

Disposed between the rillie bars as shown in Figure 1, are rows ofnipples 16 each care ryingY a shield 17. The nipple Vis'convenientlypressed from seamless brass tubing and is provided with a flange 18adjacent one end to limit the penetration of the nipple into bot-h theshield 17 and thel wall 9ct the reservoir. llVhen'the parts'hareassembled this flange operates to space'the 4eel-ges of the shield fromthe surface'of the The nipple is secured ina suitably 'sized aperture inthe wall, byspinning overy the edge, and the outer end 'rofthe nipple isprovided with an aperture 19 thru which the fluid is discharged from thenipple. The shield 17 fits over the apertured end of the nipple so as todiffuse the jet of liquid issuing therefrom and turn it backwardlytoward the wall 9 in thin, flat streams. The shield consists preferablyof a thin, square plate which is formed byv pressure, in suitabledies,to provide a central socket in which the nipple fits tightly, and narrowVradially disposed passages 21 leading from the curved apex 22 towardthe base of the shield. This is accomplished by pressing portions of theplate, perpendicular to each edge, intol substantial parallelism withsimilar portions on the opposite side, to form the socket. Thisoperation also folds ythe intervening portions together, on

the diagonal lines, so that four narrow pas- Y sages radiate from thesocket.

The shields are preferably arranged on the nipples as shown best inFigure 1. so that fluid emitted from the shield is distributed over theentire lower portion of the space between the riiiie bars. This diffusedcountercurrent of fluid entering from the bottom prevents the packing ofmaterial collecting between the riffle bars, keeping it in a mobilestate so that settling of the heavier particles is facilitated. Theforce of the diffused streams is. of course, regulatable by means of thevalve 13.

When sufficient values have accumulated between the riffle bars and aclean-up is to be eected, the riifle fra-me is lifted and the collectedvalues allowed to wash down the sluice in the usual way, the'flexibleconnec tion 12 permitting ready movement of the frame.

My riliie is particularly valuable in placer mining and also finds apeculiarly valuable use on dredges which may list to one side er theother, since the eenstruction of the f iiuid from said nipples in adiffused current into the space between the rifiles.

2. A device of the character described comprising a liat casing forminga reservoir, a plurality of riffles arranged on said casing, rows ofnipples connected into the casing between the riflles7 means forsupplying the reservoir with Huid under pressure, and means forVdiiilusingthe fluid emitted from said nipples.

2c 3. A device ofthe character described comprising a frame havingtransverse members forming riiiles, a casingvforming a reservoir onwhich said frame is adapted to rest, nipples connected into the casing`and disposed between the riiiies and dil'usion shields arranged on thenipples.

4. The combination with a sluice of a frame substantially illing thesluice from side to side and having members extending transverselyacross the sluice to form riffles therein, a flat casing formingareservoir adapted to underlie the frame, nipples connected into thecasing and the riffles, diffusion shields arranged on the nipples, and aflexible conduit connecting the reservoir with a source of fluid.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

CHARLES J. soHrFFERLn.

disposed between

